SABARIMALA: Heavy flow of pilgrims ranging from 30,000 to 40,000 a day trek the strenuous traditional forest path of Erumely-Kalaketty-Azhutha-Karimala for darsan of Lord Ayyappa here.
The flow of pilgrims is unprecedented during the first phase of the pilgrimage season in comparison to the heavy flow witnessed during the Makaravilakku days. The pilgrims offer worship at Erumely Sree Dharma Sastha temple, where they conduct the customary pettathullal and at Kalaketti Lord Siva-Parvathi temple before trekking Azhuthamedu, Puthussery and Kalaketty. During the 40-km trekking, the pilgrims halt at Puthussery or Karimala before reaching Pampa on the way for darsan of Lord Ayyappa.
Curbs on Night Trekking
The Forest Department has imposed restriction on trekking on the forest path at Puthussery and Karimala after 6 pm owing to the presence of wild elephants and tiger.
At the night halt places of Puthussery and Karimala, the Forest Department or the Travancore Devaswom Board have failed to provide primary facilities like toilets or potable water to the thousands of pilgrims.
The situation is worst at Karimala where the majority of the pilgrim halt for the night as they face water shortage to meet the basic needs. The failure of the forest or TDB authorities in conducting an on-the-spot visit to the trekking path, especially at Puthussery and Karimala to understand the problems being faced by the pilgrims is a cause of concern among the devotees. Vasudevan, a 55-year-old pilgrim from Thrissur, said that the authorities should look into the problems being faced by the pilgrims, especially the absence of toilets and potable water at Karimala.
“Though the TDB authorities have deployed Devaswom employees to take care of the hundi, hardly any measure is being taken to provide basic facilities for the thousands of pilgrims at Karimala till date,” Vasudevan said.